Why you should not exercise before going to bed

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Exercise is important for maintaining the health and fitness of the human being, builds strength, improves the body, and offers tranquility in the body. In fact, according to research from Harvard Medical School, exercise greatly reduces the levels of stress hormones in the body, such as adrenaline and cortisol.

Many choose to exercise at night, just before bedtime. This habit, however, can have the exact opposite effect. Why does this happen, and which exercises strain the body the most?

Exercising late at night affects the quality of sleep

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Training time and intensity are two important factors that affect our health and well-being. Exercise, however, late at night can have negative effects on the body.

Here are 3 reasons why you should avoid exercising before bed:

Exercise increases the body’s alertness

When the body exercises, adrenaline is released, which in turn raises the heart rate. This process increases blood flow and oxygen levels to the muscles of the body. However, the resulting alertness does not allow the body to calm down, so sleep is disturbed.

Exercise awakens the nervous system

Intense training stimulates our nervous system. It takes time to return to the previous state, which makes it difficult to sleep. Some exercises that can strain the body under these conditions are running, swimming, cycling, and lifting weights.

In fact, in the case of excessive exercise, there is a risk that the body’s muscles begin to oscillate, causing muscle pain, which affects the quality of sleep.

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Exercising before bed reduces muscle growth

During intense exercise, the muscles are very likely to be injured. The primary way to heal injuries, then, is to rest through restful sleep. This process becomes very difficult as long as the body stays awake throughout the night.

Note* Always consult your doctor or other qualified health care professional for any questions you may have about your health or condition. Never disregard a health care professional’s advice or delay getting it because of what you read on this website.